Device for cleaning and polishing magnetic metal surfaces



June 18, 1957 w. H. WIEST, "JR 2,795,808

DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING MAGNETIC METAL SURFACES Filed Jan. 16, 1956 1 mum mu mm 3 IN V EN TOR."

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DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING MAGNETIC METAL SURFACES Waldo H. Wiest, Jr., Chicago, 111., assignor of one-half to Herbert M. Rosenthal, La Grange Park, Ill.

Application January 16, 1956, Serial No. 559,240

6 Claims. (Cl. 15227) a device for use in cleaning and polishing an automobile which facilitates the accomplishment of these tasks by reducing the amount of work required. Various types of automobile cleaning and washing pads have heretofore been provided, but in all of them the operator is required to press the pad against the car while at the same time moving it about over the surface of the car. It has been my observation that the effort required in pressing the pad against the automobile tends to be more fatiguing than the effort required to move the pad over the automobile surfaces. It is therefore a specific object of this invention to provide a device of the character described which holds itself against and on the surface being cleaned, and merely requires the operator to move it about over the surface.

This invention is shown in illustrative embodiments in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view of the device taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a side view of the plate element shown in section in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side sectional view in modified form of the plate element of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a top view of the plate element of Fig. 3 in normal position; and Fig. 6, a top view of the same plate element in depressed condition.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, my device for cleaning and polishing magnetic metal surfaces like automobile body surfaces includes a pouch 10 of soft, flexible material, such as a cotton or wool fabric of the type commonly used for cleaning and polishing metal surfaces. The pouch 10 provides an upper side 11 and a lower side 12, the lower side being the cleaning and polishing side. In the illustration given, the lower side 12 provides a fiutfy outer surface as indicated at 13. In-

teriorly, pouch 10 provides a pocket 14, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, which extends over bottom side 12, or between sides 11 and 12.

A flexible resilient plate 15 is received within and substantially fills pocket 14, as shown in Fig. 2. Plate 15 has a raised central portion 16 supported on outwardly and downwardly inclined leg portions 17. A permanent magnet 18 is carried by plate portion 16 and normally supported at a spaced distance above lower top side 12, the normal position being shown in Fig. 2. In the illustration given, the permanent magnet 18 is attached to plate portion 16 by means of a small rivet 19, but it will be understood that other means for mounting the magnet can be employed.

referably, plate 15 is in the form of an upwardly convex metal sheet having a plurality of spaced slits 2-0 which extend part of the way inwardly along radial lines to provide leg portions 17 between the slits and atent YO 2,795,808 Patented June 18, 1957 ice central portion 16 inwardly of the slits. In any case, however, plate 15 should be so constructed and arranged that central portion 16 is resiliently depressable by flexing and extending leg portions 17. The appearance of plate 15 in its normal position is shown in Fig. 5, while its appearance in depressed condition is shown in Fig. 6. It will be noted that in Fig. 6 the slits 20 have widened and the legs 17 are somewhat extended, thereby enlarging the area covered by the plate. The lower or depressed position of plate 15 and magnet 18 is indicated in phantom in Fig. 2.

Preferably, pouch 10 also provides some means to assist the operator in grasping the pouch in moving it over the metal surface. In the illustration given, the

" pouch includes a cap piece 21 which provides a handreceiving recess 22 over pouch side 11 and above pocket 14 and plate 15 therein.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3, the magnet 18 is mounted so as to extend above central portion 16. This permits plate 15 to flex downwardly until it closely approaches pouch side 12, as indicated in Fig. 2. Also, the upward projection of magnet 18 serves as an additional gripping element for the hand of the operator. However, for some purposes, it may be desirable to support the magnet so as to extend below the central portion of the plate. This is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, where the various parts have the same numbers, except that the numbers have been primed to indicate that they relate to a modification of the previously described structure. With the embodiment of Fig. 4, the plate 15 can still flex downwardly, but it will not move downwardly as far. This will allow pouch side 12 more freedom in conforming to contoured surfaces.

It is preferred to provide pocket 10 with a mouth 23 through which plate 15 can be inserted and removed. In the illustration given, the mouth 23 is closed or opened as desired by means of the zipper fastener 24. In the operation of the device, it will be assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and placed on the magnetic metal surface to be cleaned. The hand of the operator will then be inserted into recess 22, and plate 15 will be depressed, bringing magnet 18 into attractive relation with the magnetic metal surface. In this position, the force of magnetic attraction between the magnet 18 and the metal surface will be suflicient to keep the plate in depressed condition against the outward urging of the spring-acting legs 17. In this position, the cleaning and polishing side 12 of pouch 10 will be stretched relatively taut by the outward extension of leg portion 17, and at the same time pouch side 1.2 will be held firmly against the metal surface, being sandwiched between it and plate 15. The force of magnetic attraction will be distributed over plate 15 causing the entire plate to be pulled against the metal surface. Consequently, when it is desired to clean or polish the metal surface, it will not be necessary for the operator to exert force to press the pad against the metal surface. Instead, the operator can confine his efforts to moving the pad over the surface.

If the pad becomes soiled, or for some reason it is desired to thoroughly clean the pad, zipper 24 can be opened and plate 15 removed through pouch mouth 23. The fabric pouch can then be thoroughly washed, and the plate 15 replaced. Alternatively, a single plate and magnet combination can be used in several different pouches, the pouches being interchanged as desired.

Preferably, pocket 14 and plate 15 are circular and of approximately the same diameter, pocket 14 being only enough larger than plate 15 to permit the plate to be depressed while tightly stretching the bottom side 12 of pouch 10, as previously described. In the embodiment of Fig. 4, legs 17' are provided with flat feet portions 17'a, which act to hold pouch bottom 12 against the surface being cleaned or polished.

While in the foregoing specification, this invention has been described with relation to particular embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for the purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to other embodiments and that many of the details set forth herein can be varied without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device for cleaning and polishing magnetic metal surfaces like automobile body-surfaces, comprising a pouch of soft, flexible material providing a cleaning and polishing bottom side and a pocket extending over said side, a flexible resilient plate received within and substantially filling said pocket, said plate having a raised centralportion supported on outwardly and downwardly inclined leg portions, a permanent magnet carried by said raised portion and normally supported at a spaced distance above said bottom side, said raised plate portion being resiliently depressible by flexing and extending said leg portions, whereby said magnet can be brought into attractive relation with a magnetic metal surface with which said bottom side is in contact, thereby holding said 4 plate against said surface with said bottom side therebetween in a relatively taut condition.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said plate comprises an upwardly convex metal sheet having a pinrality of spaced slits extending part of the way inwardly along radial lines to provide said leg portions between said slits and said central portion inwardly of said slits.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which said magnet is mounted so as to extend above said central portion.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which said magnet is mounted to extend below said central portion.

5. The combination of claim 1 in which said pouch provides a mouth to said pocket through which said plate can be inserted and removed, and in which there is provided means for closing said mouth.

6. The combination of claim 1 in which said pouch provides a hand-receiving recess above said pocket and plate therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

